Planning and portfolio manager (Debt advice)

Job summary

Planning and portfolio manager (Debt advice)

£70000 per annum

Bedford

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Join us at the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) as a Planning and portfolio manager (Debt advice). This role offers you the chance to make a significant impact. In this pivotal role, you'll work closely with the Debt Advice Strategy Manager to coordinate and deliver key projects and workstreams under the MaPS debt advice strategy. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a supportive environment, we want to hear from you!

You’ll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to helping people across the UK improve their financial wellbeing.

Job description

Role Overview

The Planning and Portfolio Manager will report directly to Debt Advice Strategy Manager. In this role, you will be responsible for:

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing, maintaining and monitoring team plans, and supporting effective resource planning across the debt function
• Identifying and monitoring of risks and issues. Developing mitigating actions and escalating as appropriate. Identifying and working with related project and workstream leads to manage interdependencies
• Supporting effective governance and decision making.
• Provide and maintain reporting mechanisms to account for delivery including the timely and accurate socialisation of key artefacts
• Engaging with assurance reviews and supporting action on recommendations
• Supporting the development of Business Cases, with input from specialists as necessary

Person specification

You will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience.

To excel in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of planning, monitoring and controlling workstreams including budgeting and resource allocation procedures
• Experience of working effectively with wide range of stakeholders across other government departments, directorate/business group lines.
• Experience of impact assessing new and complex areas of work
• Experience of overseeing risk and issue management
• Experience of day to day support of workstreams and/or projects
• Experience of managing or supporting governance forums ensuring timely and accurate socialisation of key artefacts

Desirable

• Understanding of the commercial lifecycle
• Experience of the debt advice sector and advice development and delivery

Benefits

About Us
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is based in Bedford, in a recently renovated modern office. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to become an integral part of a dynamic organisation, working to help people across the UK.

At the heart of the Money and Pensions Service are our values – caring, connecting, and transforming, which are the foundation of our success. They permeate every area of our work and define all our business relationships and the way we work with each other. We’re not only looking for the best people to come and work for us, but we need people who align themselves with our values:

• Caring
  We care about our colleagues and the people whose lives we are here to transform.
• Connecting
  We will transform lives through our ability to make positive connections.
• Transforming
  We are committed to transforming lives and making a positive societal impact.

Our Inclusive Working Environment
By fostering our values, we are immensely proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. The diversity of our people is a strength that we embrace and wish to build upon, so we are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds. We work hard to ensure that we have a progressive approach to inclusion, equity, and belonging. We really do want our colleagues to “bring their whole selves to work.”

Our colleague and ally networks encompass LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, women’s health, men’s health, ethnicity, and diversity.

What We Offer

• Generous Annual Leave – 30 days plus Bank Holidays
• Pension scheme – contributions matched 2 to 1 (up to 10% of your salary)
• Interest-free loan for season tickets for buses and trains
• Cycle to work Scheme
• Subsidised eye tests & flu jabs
• Life assurance scheme
• Give as you earn scheme
• Employee assistance programme (EAP)
• PAM Assist and PAM Life scheme (Wellbeing)
• Enhanced family and sick pay
• Paid volunteering (2 days a year)
• Recognition Scheme
• Discounts portal to numerous retailers

Flexible Working
At MaPS, we take pride in our flexible approach to work. As standard, we work on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in the office per month. Hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and our headquarters in Bedford will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business needs, but personal and other relevant circumstances will also be considered. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Career Development
In MaPS, we take career development seriously. We actively encourage and support applications from our existing MaPS colleagues. However, we do follow the Civil Service Commissioner recruitment principles, which means that you will be required to participate in a full, open, and fair process.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Our Recruitment Process

1. Initial Review
   Our recruiter will review your CV. If your profile aligns with the requirements, they will contact you to arrange an initial conversation.
2. Hiring Manager Review
   If the recruiter determines you are a suitable match, your CV will be shared with the hiring manager, who will decide whether to invite you to interview.
3. Interview
   If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to take part in a single‑stage virtual interview. This will focus on competency‑based questions to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and experience. We follow fair, open, and merit‑based recruitment in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

Important Information About Applying

To make sure your application reaches us safely, please submit it only through our official MaPS application links.

Applications sent via third‑party or unauthorised websites, or emailed directly, unfortunately can’t be considered.

Please also note that MaPS is unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Reserve List
If you are successful at interview, we operate a reserve list where your details will be held for up to 6 months. Should a vacancy come available in that time with the same essential criteria, reserve list candidates will be offered that position with no further assessment required.

Application Process
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the Money and Pensions Service via email: resourcing@maps.org.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.

Job Reference: MaPS01105

Close Date: 08/03/26

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Nick Heron
• Email : nicholas.heron@reed.com

Recruitment team

• Email : nicholas.heron@reed.com